


The Insecurity of Great Hope

by revolution_but_civilization



Series: Wahrheit und Dichtung – truth and poetry [2]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: (right after it), Basically this is just Ren and Hux being dysfunctional, But it's there, Dead Snoke (Star Wars), Force Choking (Star Wars), Hux is too ambitious, Hux just wants to rule the galaxy with his evil bf, Hux smiles, M/M, POV Armitage Hux, Ren's a jerk, Snoke Being a Dick, Someone hug Hux please, Star Wars: The Last Jedi Throne Room Scene, They're no good at anything, he's dead, like once, not doing much now, past-tense being a dick, per usual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:46:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25869148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/revolution_but_civilization/pseuds/revolution_but_civilization
Summary: “Is it possible we have finally paidbitterly enough?That sacrifice is not be required,that anxiety and terror have been judged sufficient?”-Louise Glück, ‘The Muse of Happiness’---The scavenger girl escaped; Snoke murdered; but perhaps it is all for the better. Perhaps everything can begin to fall into rightful place now.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren
Series: Wahrheit und Dichtung – truth and poetry [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1856959
Kudos: 8





	The Insecurity of Great Hope

Hux surveyed the destroyed throne room in silence. The Supreme Leader’s upper body, for some reason detached from his legs, lay face-up on the ground, almost mocking. _He got what was coming to him, didn’t he?_

Kylo Ren was sprawled out on the ground as well, though Hux couldn’t see a clear wound. He really hoped the man wasn’t dead. It would cause quite a lot of paperwork if he were, and Hux already had enough paperwork to last a lifetime. Not to mention the unwelcome _emotions_ that would come with Kylo’s death. Yes, it was better that Kylo stayed alive. There was usefulness in him yet.

The dull thump of Snoke’s legs flopping to the ground as well startled Hux out of his thoughts, and he shot them a glare before moving towards Kylo.

He prodded the man carefully with the toe of his boot. “Ren.” No response. _That scavenger girl really did a number on him_. “Ren,” he repeated.

With a gasp, Kylo rolled over onto his back and blinked up at the ceiling.

Hux leaned over him. “Do you have an explanation for all this?”

“Give me a second.” Kylo pushed himself up on one elbow, then worked his way up to his feet, brushing off his shirt. He glanced around the room, gaze landing on Snoke’s body, and moved to stand several steps away from Hux.

“Well?” Hux crossed his arms in front of his chest, fingers tapping impatiently. “What happened?”

Kylo paused for a second, _too long for him to be telling the truth_ , before answering. “The girl. She killed the Supreme Leader.”

“And all the guards?”

“Yes.”

“ _And_ you didn’t, at any point, try to stop her?”

Kylo’s gaze darkened, and he fixed Hux with a glare. “I tried.”

“But she still got away.” Hux looked around the room again, trying to connect all the pieces in his head. Kylo wasn’t telling the full truth; that much was clear. No girl, no matter how Force-sensitive, could have taken on the Supreme Leader, his elite guard, _and_ his apprentice alone and survived. “Are you—”

“Hux.”

“Fine.” Hux raised his chin, staring defiantly into Kylo’s eyes. He won’t believe Kylo, not yet, but it’s not worth a fight, for once.

The gears began to turn in his head. The Supreme Leader was dead. As Snoke’s apprentice, Kylo would naturally be next in line. No one would dare challenge him. And, of course, Hux would be right beside him. It was where he belonged. They could—they could change the Order. Make it more powerful. Even build a second Starkiller.

Hux cleared his throat after a moment, now having to physically fight back a grin. “Ren. You know what this means.”

Kylo turned towards him, his face unreadable. “I’m afraid I don’t.”

“Snoke is gone. He holds no power over you.” _He won’t be hurting you again. He won’t be shaming me in front of my officers again. We’ve finally paid dearly enough. We’re reaping the rewards._ An unbidden smile snuck onto Hux’s expression. “There is no one above you.”

Kylo raised one eyebrow. “Continue.”

“You are in charge of the First Order. We can make it new. Make it better. We—we can even—”

Hux’s sentence was cut off by Kylo raising a finger. There was a touch of the Force at work, and Hux found himself physically unable to continue until the hand was lowered.

“I notice you using the word ‘we,’ General.”

“Well, yes,” Hux spluttered. “No one else in the Order besides us two ever were granted an audience with Snoke. I only presumed—”

“Presumed? Ah.”

Hux wrinkled his nose in disgust for a split second, before acquiescing with a nod. This wasn’t going quite as well as he hoped, but better than he feared. “Yes, Ren.” 

His speed of speech sped up as ideas raced through his mind. “You’re free of Snoke’s influence. He won’t be in your mind anymore. Your power is effectively unchecked now. With me at your side, the Order will be unstoppable.” He could already see it. This would only be a stepping stone to greater things as the First Order’s grip on the galaxy continued to expand. First, second-in-command to the Supreme Leader, and next, maybe even Chancellor one day.

Kylo huffed. “You seem to be assuming an awful lot, General.”

“Perhaps. But you see it, don’t you? This is the opportunity of a lifetime for the both of us!” _One day, maybe I’ll even see myself rise to be Emperor. Emperor Hux. That has a nice ring to it._

“I see.” Kylo’s tone was ice-cold, and as he stepped closer, an unfamiliar feeling of fear shot through Hux.

“Yes. Yes. We can…” He was grasping at straws now, fumbling at some way to salvage the conversation. “Snoke’s reign is over! Something new must begin, and it can be you and I. Together.” A weak appeal to Kylo’s nonexistent teamwork skills and even more unsubstantial feelings, he knew, but it was worth an attempt.

A crushing pressure to Hux’s throat stopped any more ill-advised sentences from coming out, and he cursed himself for not seeing Kylo’s raised hand until it was too late.

“The Supreme Leader is dead,” Kylo snarled. “A new one must rise to take his place.”

Hux nodded wordlessly, hands fumbling and trying to pull away the invisible grip.

“One. _I_ can change the Order as I see fit. _I_ have the power. And I have no need of you ‘by my side,’ as you said. I am the Supreme Leader.”

Kylo’s fingers moved closer together, and Hux gasped fruitlessly for breath as his lungs burned.

“ _I am the Supreme Leader!_ ” Kylo roared, an incomprehensible rage in his eyes.

“Long… live… the Supreme Leader.”


End file.
